Margaret Pierson Cost

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Cost, Margaret Pierson Margaret Pierson ("Peggy") Cost died peacefully in her San Francisco residence on June 20, 2013 after a tough fight with pancreatic cancer. Peggy combined strong, Midwestern family values with a Montana work ethic to construct her path through life, using childhood lessons of "finishing the job" and "moving on" to guide her. Margaret Louise Pierson was born February 15, 1938, the eldest daughter of Charles Frederick ("TC") Pierson and Catherine Piper ("Gray") Pierson. She grew up with her siblings Kitty and Charlie on the family's working farm in Long Lake, Minnesota. As a teenager Peggy accompanied her father on business trips visiting Farmhand dealers throughout the western states, fishing along the way. Peggy's lifelong love of Montana began on family visits to her grandfather's ranch outside Utica and to the neighboring Corral Ranch, where Peggy spent seven summers working as a hand. Her attachment to Montana was sealed on TC's purchase of a working ranch outside Livingston in 1961, which remains in the Pierson family to this day. Peggy Pierson attended Northrop School in Minneapolis before transferring to St. Mary's Hall in Faribault, Minnesota, graduating in 1955. Two time Class President, winner of the Latin Prize and President of the Student Council, Peggy was awarded "Best All Around Girl" her senior year, St. Mary's highest honor. Peggy matriculated to Stanford University in an era when the male/female ratio was 4:1. A member of the Stanford women's swimming team and Cap & Gown, Peggy was the charter member of the Founding Grant Society and the Associated Women Students social chairman. After her graduation in 1959 Peggy worked at IBM in San Francisco. On July 9, 1960 Peggy married David Cost of Hinsdale, Illinois and after beginning her family in Berkeley, California she settled in Minneapolis. David Jr. was born in 1962 and Charles Piper followed in 1965. In October, 1971 Peggy suffered the loss of her father and in the early 1980s she won a successful fight with breast cancer. In September, 1984 her son Charlie died suddenly during his sophomore year at Williams College. From these tragic events Peggy forged the resilient spirit which marked her later years in life. Peggy Cost was Junior Warden of her church, loved the Study Club and devoted much of her activities to chemical dependency and grief support. In later years Peggy traveled extensively, including trips to Patagonia, Cuba, Bhutan, the Yangtze River and Italy, where her family helped celebrate her 70th birthday. More than anything "Zazie" was a devoted grandmother, even moving part-time to San Francisco in order to be present in her grandchildren's lives. Peggy Cost was a rider, a skier and a builder. She oversaw the construction of four separate dwellings over her lifetime. Her perseverance made sure the job was done right. In 2013 Peggy Cost received her 40 year pin from Alcoholics Anonymous, commemorating forty years of sobriety. In Peggy's own words she was "a seasoned survivor." She lived her life with class and purpose. Margaret Pierson Cost was preceded in death by her three Charlies and her mother, Gray. She is survived by her son David W. Cost, Jr, her daughter- in-law Katherine C. Stechschulte and her grandchildren, Lucca Charles Cost and Julia Gray Cost, of Berkeley, California; her sister Katherine Pierson ("Kitty") Crosby of Hamel, Minnesota, and many nieces and nephews. A service will be held at Lakewood Memorial Chapel in Minneapolis on Monday, July 8 at 11 am, followed by a reception. Memorials may be directed to the Heuga Center, 27 Main Street, Suite 303, Edwards, CO 81632 ("Their 'can do' message [to sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis] encouraged my life"); Minnesota Public Radio, c/o Susan Seltzer, 480 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101 or the Charles Piper Cost Foundation (dedicated to arts and education), c/o David W. Cost Jr, 2950 Avalon Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705.

Published on June 26, 2013